I am now confused with the word count !! The PhD Programme Handbook in my University states: "These world lengths do not include appendices containing table, statistical material or other document". Does this mean the word count can include everything from Cover Page to the References including Footnotes but Except Appendices? OR, does that mean I exclude References & Appendices? I believe the word count includes Footnotes as well. How do you count the word?? Until last week I was counting the words from First word of Introduction to Last word of conclusion - I did not include Footnotes & word count in the tables within the chapters. The draft was more than 90,000 and never bothered. Now after doing corrections in my draft it comes 89, 300 and it started worrying me. If I count footnotes, abstract, acknowledgement and words in tables it comes to 93,343. The maximum is 100,000. Please do share how you count the words in your thesis. Swetch

I would read that bit of the regulation to say that the word count includes footnotes, references and abstract / acknowledgement etc. The only things it does not include is any appendices. If you think you are going to be over the limit, could you move some of the tables you have in the chapters at the moment into an appendix? Or would that ruin the argument? Alternatively find a friend or relation who's good at English and bribe them into editing out unneccessary words for you!

Hi Bewildered,

Thank you so much. I did understand in that way that I should include references but felt strange. Never thought that References can come into the word count ! Luckily, the word count including references, tables within the chapter, abstract, acknowledgement & footnotes comes to 98,833 which is within the limit of 100,000. My worry of going less than 90,000 too will be solved if this is the case. Just to re-confirm I have emailed to an administration and hope what you wrote is true. It will solve my problem. Thank you so much once again ! Swetch